


We Were Always Meant To Say Goodbye

by ladyofdecember



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Angst, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Mentions of Blue Morpho, Mind Control, Monarch and Rusty if you squint, Post Season Six, Thriller, sleeper agent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 10:50:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13634772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Written for The Venture Brothers Fanfiction Meme 2016. Rusty Venture isn't all that he seems and with a long history of tragedies behind him, he soon realizes they are far from over.





	We Were Always Meant To Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all, so I wrote this as a fill for the fanfiction meme on livejournal. This can be found here: https://ladyofdecember.livejournal.com/3205.html. The prompt was "Rusty as kind of a sleeper agent trained by the traumatic situations that happened to him as a kid by his dad. He is triggered by specific phrases. Details up to you. Any pairings at all. Just this idea."
> 
> Just some quick notes, I've long headcanoned that Rusty and The Monarch have feelings for each other that they've just never done anything about so this can be seen as Rusty/The Monarch if you squint. Also, my love for Brock and Rusty will never die so that's heavily splashed in here too. The word "Negeltu" I believe is babylonian for "awakening". The code words used are all types of butterflies.
> 
> ...
> 
> Remember all the things we wanted  
> Now all our memories, they're haunted  
> We were always meant to say goodbye  
> Even without fists held high, yeah  
> Never would have worked out right, yeah  
> We were never meant for do or die  
> \--Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson

“Mr. Venture, I'm so sorry to disturb you-” His former neighbor and tenant's image filled his vPad as he was having his coffee in the kitchen.

“What is it, Orpheus?” Rusty asked tiredly. He'd been up all night again with White and Billy trying to get a new product designed in time for the science convention.

“Well, it's just that, we've uncovered something that may be of importance to you and yours. A tape!”

“A tape?”

“Yes, with all the rubble clean up we've been doing at the Compound, we uncovered this tape. It seems to have belonged to your father.” Orpheus held it up towards the screen for him to see.

Rusty cocked an eyebrow. “Huh. Well, okay then. I guess just... send it on over.”

“Oh, okay, should I bring some crumpets or-?”

“What?” The scientist glanced back at the screen from the newspaper he'd begun reading. “No, no! I don't mean use your magic to come over, just... just ship it, Orpheus! Geez!”

“Oh, well I thought I might visit, it's been a very long time since-”

Interrupting him again, Rusty sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, I... I'm really busy right now. It's not that I don't want you to visit or... “

With a pinched look, Orpheus cocked an eyebrow, “Or... ?”

“Will you just send the tape and we can discuss you coming to visit later?!” He asked him irritably, downing his cup of coffee.

“Of course! Splendid! Then, it's all decided! I will get this tape on the way to you!”

“Lovely.”

…

Fumbling a bit with the tape as he placed it into the VCR, Rusty sat back onto the couch to see just what gems the mysterious video held, no doubt another pointless adventure for them to embark on facing some kind of alien threat.

The image of his father appeared on screen predictably and the bald man readied himself for the drama that was soon no doubt unfold.

“Hello Rusty! It's time to get up!” Jonas said, peering directly into the camera with a big grin on his face.

Rusty cocked an eyebrow at the screen as the man seemed to pause before dropping the cheerful smile altogether. He continued staring into the camera quietly, a somber look overtaking him.

Quietly, he began to rhythmically chant. “Negeltu.... Skipper. Gossamer. Hedylidae. Admiral.”

...

Brock arrived home later than he's intended with Hank and Dean in tow carrying a multitude of shopping bags. In an effort to help the boys, read: Hank, be better with their finances, he'd offered to take them out shopping for clothes. He'd even let Hank hold on to his credit card so he could supervise.

“Doc?” The man called from his place in the living room as the two teens raced upstairs with their newly bought treasures. “Huh.” He mused out loud to himself as he was sure the man was going to be hanging around at home by himself while they were out. 

He tried him on his communicator watch only to find the call be ignored. Worry crept in from all sides within him but he willed it be for now. They'd only just that morning had a conversation about the man's safety and ability to be left alone without the world ending all around them.

Rusty had chastised him for being such a worry wort when they were literally as safe as could be in their brand new fortress. And so, Brock had backed off, agreeing that perhaps he had been a little claustrophobic recently.

He'd give him an hour, no more, then he'd seek him out. But for now, he was certain there was an X-Files marathon on to enjoy.

...

“Yeah, well then, tell me what you want! I'm a very busy man.”

Rusty was standing on the porch of his arch-enemy, or rather former arch-enemy, small smile resting on his face. “I told you, I wanted to talk to you about the recent... developments going on between The Guild and The O.S.I.”

The Monarch narrowed his eyes at the man before glancing over his shoulder at the front yard and the street below. “Alright. Come in.” His suspicions passed and he waved the man inside, shutting the heavy door behind him.

The scientist moved through the hallway towards the kitchen, eyeing the recently added décor with a smirk on his face.

The taller man crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at his sworn enemy. “Something funny?”

Rusty took in the look of the man and how he was dressed. He was wearing an ankle length magenta bath robe and fuzzy slippers, his normally cowl clad hair slicked back with simple hair gel instead. “No, no. Just thinking this place looks a lot different.”

The Monarch cocked an eyebrow at him, standing up a bit straighter. “What? How would you know that? Have you been spying on me?”

Adjusting his glasses and smiling sheepishly, he shook his head. “No, of course not. You think I have nothing better to do than to spy on you? I'm a Fortune 500 company CEO! Puh-lease!” Rusty laughed and headed over towards the back door leading out to a simple yard.

“Whatever. You want something to drink or... ?”

“Sure. Some bubbly would be nice.”

“We have O.J.” The man said flatly.

“Fine.” Rusty said with mock disappointment as he shrugged at the man.

The Monarch grumbled to himself as he turned and got him a drink.

...

The two laughed heartily from their positions on the back patio. Rusty took another sip from his glass of orange juice, finished it off and setting it down on the table.

“Oh man, that was classic! Fucking Phantom Limb!” The Monarch laughed as the sounds turned into contented hums. He eyed his long term enemy with a bit of melancholy. “Well, I'm glad we could have this chat to clear the air. Hell, I thought you were coming here to discuss the whole Blue Morpho thing!”

“What?” Rusty laughed, confusion evident in his eyes.

“Yeah! Well, uh, I guess now's as good a time as any. I meant to tell you but uh... well, I never could find a good time. I'm uh... I'm the Blue Morpho!” The Monarch said, chuckling self-consciously and rubbing the back of his neck.

“What?! Really? Oh my god! Billy will not stop hounding me about that! Everyone seems to think it was me running around in that costume! Geez... “

“Yeah, sorry about that. I know my wife's been kinda hardcore about it.”

Rusty shrugged and let his eyes roam across the vast greenery of the small yard.

The Monarch smiled. “Well, I guess we have a lot to discuss. There's... a lot of history here. I know for my part anyway, I've always been kinda hung up about it all.”

“Mmm... “

“But I'm glad... I'm glad we're chatting like this. It was overdue!”

Rusty smiled to himself as he stared down at his shoes for a moment. “It... was... “

A quick flash shone across his eyes when suddenly, without warning, he was retrieving the hidden gun from his bag and aiming it centered against the man's skull. There was barely any time for The Monarch to react before the trigger was pulled and things went black.

...

The sound of the gunshot echoed throughout the small yard and down the street alerting a few of the neighboring houses to the noise.

Birds flew up and away from the nearby bush, startled at the sudden shot.

Rusty felt like someone had whacked him in the back of the head with a board as he nearly dropped the gun in pain. He grimaced and fell to his knees, shaking. Shutting his eyes tightly at the onset of the migraine beginning to trouble him, it was a few seconds before he opened them to the scene before him.

Blood, dark, red blood pooled down the patio and into the grass. The Monarch's body lay still across the pavement unmoving like something out of a horror movie.

With an audible gasp and a choked sob, Rusty let his eyes travel over the man before realizing he was holding the gun that had done it. He dropped it in shock and scampered back and away from the body.

“What the? What?! Hello?!” He desperately called out, glancing all around them. Questions filled his mind, panic gripping at the edges of it refusing to let him piece anything together.

Surely, this was a trick or a test of some sort. Someone had framed him, placed them here in this sick, twisted reality. But they were alone, it seemed. 

No, he had pulled the trigger. He had... killed his arch-enemy!

Rusty got to his knees, creeping closer to the man as tears began to pool out of his eyes. He cried, screaming for help, for someone, anyone to come help.

Only silence came in response.

...

He was on his knees, sobbing as Brock's gentle arms tried to encircle him comfortingly. He stared at the decorative pavement of the patio designs unwilling to look any further towards the body of his victim. Brock was saying something in his ear, trying, pleading to get him to calm down but all the sound seemed to rush out of the atmosphere around them.

Distantly, he was aware of a blur of figures rushing about, colors swirling around but they all led back to one, bloody red.

A hard grip around his left bicep and suddenly he was up on his feet. Rusty turned to look up into the face to Phantom Limb before being tugged back by his bodyguard instead. The scientist tried to blink and clear his head, will himself to pay attention to what was going on around him. His mind was just so foggy.

“No! You give him a minute!” Brock was yelling now, pointing his finger right in the man's face who in turn refused to back down.

The blonde was acting as sort of a barrier between him and the Guild leader.

“I understand your grieving but there are some questions we need to ask Dr. Venture.” Phantom Limb patiently explained.

Brock exhaled frustrated as he spun on his heel to face him again. “Hey... you okay with this?”

Rusty blinked at him in slow motion, eyes not really seeing either of them. Distantly, he nodded.

This didn't seem to convince the bodyguard but he took his hand in his own as they both faced the other man.

Satisfied, though a little wary of questioning them together, he proceeded.

...

A brief flashback overtook him and images of a time long past filled his mind. He was playing in the snow just out front of the Venture Compound and there was a boy, another red haired boy about his age. He could remember that morning now as it had been his birthday and he'd woken up to snow falling all around. They played together happily until his father had come outside and called out to him disapprovingly. He remembered feeling guilty as he rushed to hurry back inside with Jonas.

Rusty sat back, shaking his head a bit as the foggy memory began to fade away. He stared hard at the corner of the living room, glaring at the TV as though it were the cause of his misery and not his father himself.

Feeling enormous grief over his actions had taken a toll on him. He hadn't slept in what felt like weeks. Brock's gentle prodding to get him to take it easy and lay down did nothing to help his weary mind rest. The feeling of being out of control, of not knowing what was happening to you were too much to bear for the middle aged man.

The Guild had run their investigation along with the O.S.I.'s partnership in order to fully cover all their bases. 

After growing frustrated with both side's insistence that Rusty had intentionally murdered The Monarch, Brock had begun digging up any evidence he could for just what had occurred. Recovering Jonas' tape from it's placement on the TV stand and giving it a quick viewing, the tape had told him all he needed to know about the situation.

Handing it over to both teams, they'd come to the conclusion that the super scientist was some sort of sleeper agent trained by Jonas Venture, Sr. and thus, Rusty was cleared of all charges. Doctors from the O.S.I. along with Billy as well had given him a once over to see if there were any long term effects.

It seemed only the code words contained on the tape were trigger words for the would-be covert agent. With the idea of protecting one of their top clients, the O.S.I. had intended to keep the tape on hand but due to Brock's insistence, the tape had been handed over to the bodyguard for safe keeping.

And so it was, Rusty Venture, a trained sleeper agent had gunned down his former arch-enemy. The papers would have a field day or would have if not for the enormous pressure placed upon them by both sides, protagonist and antagonist. A massive cover up occurred, in what was seen as the best interests of both parties involved.

Rusty put his head in his hands as his past memories threatened to swell in his mind once more. Oh, how beautiful the snow had been that day.

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed this prompt a lot! I think there's a lot of interesting backstory here that the show may never get around to focusing on. I just really like the idea of Jonas setting up this whole issue between Rusty and The Monarch and not realizing after his death it would continue being such a huge problem. That is, if he is truly dead? Hmmm.


End file.
